Disclaimer: The only "Property of Miss Lyst" are my ideas. I have nothing to do with Marvel and its affiliates. But… y'know, I'm always willing if offered.
Warning: Drama incoming. Get a tissue!
Trigger: None, unless you have a leaning towards legal matters. Then… eh…
Navigating the Curve
By Juliette Lyst
Take Down or Take Out
Parallel Worlds - Parallel Lives (Alternate Universe) Monday - Early Morning
"You have my pager number. If you need me, page me."
Jennifer nodded; her gaze focused on their joined hands. "We need to get you a phone after work today." After she spoke, her mouth suddenly felt dry. There was something completely different about Peter getting a phone. Pagers were temporary and perfect for someone who was always on the move. A mobile phone though… that required an address.
Which they had, however…
What name are we putting this under? Her brows wrinkled slightly in thought. So much was tied into one's name. He couldn't easily assume the name: 'Peter Parker' again. Spider-Man was one thing, but Peter Parker came with a variety of legal permissions. A social security number for one. To even get a basic ID card, he would need that - and a birth certificate.
Unfortunately, he needed all of those things to open up a bank account.
Then, there was the fact that 'Peter Parker' was deceased. In this universe, he no longer existed.
What are we going to do? Her mind began to race at a sudden realization. Peter was going to work, but how was he even getting paid without a checking account?
No legal ID, no insurance cards, no banking information… Legally, he was an anomaly.
So how…? Her head was beginning to ache just a little the longer she lingered on that topic.
The crease in her forehead had deepened, and her gaze was a bit glazed over. Feeling concerned, Peter leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. He felt how she jerked just a little in surprise, her eyes wide.
"Edgar…?" her voice trailed off as he straightened up.
"Is anything wrong?" he asked softly. "You looked like you were somewhere else."
Pursing her lips in concentration, Jennifer tried to figure out how to voice her concerns. Blinking a little, she noted that even though the bus wasn't too crowded, they were both in a public place. Biting the corner of her lip, her eyes trailed away from his and she lightly shook her head.
Now was not the time, nor the place.
I have more than I need to worry about… she internally grumbled. Instead of worrying about how Peter's earning money. Though, she felt as if her own conscious was being pricked for her refusal to acknowledge the possibility that he was doing anything wrong.
Nothing about their situation was easily understood or normal.
"Later?" Peter asked softly, applying gentle pressure and rubbing Jennifer's belly. I wonder what that was? He frowned slightly. She needs to relax.
"Mm." She grunted in response. She looked at the window as the streets passed at a gentle clip. They would be at her job soon. Jen felt a twinge of uncertainly. Even though her absence hadn't been that long at all, in those few short days, she had come to love the idea of just being home. She yearned to just crawl back under the covers and go back to sleep.
It wouldn't be fair to Peter at all though. He was already doing so much to help her.
"Sure, Jess." He glanced out the window as well. Suddenly, he was struck by his reflection.
In the span of less than a year, he'd grown a beard, and his hair was beginning to get longer than he was comfortable with. I think… his thoughts felt a bit jittery, uncertainly filling him. Maybe it's time for me to clean up? He wasn't sure how Jen would react when she saw him afterwards.
There'd only be two options. Amusement or anger. He sincerely hoped to not see Angry Jen today.
"… You will be back for lunch, right?" Just like Peter reminding her to page him, her questions were needless. They had discussed all of this before leaving her apartment. They spoke before getting on the bus. She seemed to be trying to fill the cloying silence.
Recognizing her words for what they were, Peter allowed a broad smile to flit across his lips. Untangling his fingers from hers momentarily, he rubbed her shoulder. "Yes. Don't worry. I won't forget." His smile twisted into a playful grin. "I know better than to delay with you when food is involved." he was rewarded with the sight of her cheeks flushing faintly. Thankfully, Jen didn't look as if she'd pummel him.
He linked his fingers with hers again, but this time it wasn't over Chip. Holding hands with friends was normal… right? Neither of them pulled away.
At this point, both of them knew that she had a voracious appetite. It was why he cooked so much and fed her such a large breakfast. "It's at eleven, right? Or did you want me to come earlier?"
Jen seemed to be trying to figure that one out, the contemplative expression on her face again. Her lunch breaks were pretty
consistent in timing. "Eleven should be fine." Her lips twisted ruefully. "If the time changes, I'll let you know."
He grunted softly in response. After that, they were in a companiable silence for some time. There were other stops they passed and people got on and off the bus. The entire time, Peter remained standing where he was. He gently unlinked his fingers from Jen's again, a soft smile in place.
As they neared her stop, Peter lightly tapped on the pole he was hanging onto. "By the way, Jess." He waited a moment to get her full attention. "We need to do some shopping soon." Shrugging helplessly at her arching brows, Peter offered a slight quirk in his own brows. "I need to pick up some new jeans."
Both of their gazes were directed to his paint-stained shoes. His jeans were splattered with a mixture of red, black and white paint. Even his shirt had a bit of paint on it.
"I thought you got new jeans recently?" She asked.
In response, he nodded faintly. "That's true, but it's before I started working there ." He also remembered that she needed new clothes too, but held off bringing that particular topic up. As the bus slowed to a stop, Peter helped Jennifer rise out of her seat.
Nervously, she rubbed her hands down the sides of her apron.
"Oh… I see." she replied softly. Her mood wasn't easily understood from her tone then, but she didn't seem to be upset. "We'll talk about it over lunch."
"Yes." Peter followed her to the front of the bus. "See you shortly." He wasn't able to get off the bus with her - he'd be late. Still, today was important for her.
"Get on to work, Edgar," she said, glancing over her shoulder to wave. "I'll be fine."
Withdrawing from her, he offered a tentative smile. "Alright." He surprised the bus driver when instead of leaving, he climbed back onto the bus and finally took a seat. He had another bus he had to catch in a few more stops. Web-swinging would be so much faster than this! he mentally groused.
While true, he would also have to come up with excuses as to why
he was at work so early. There was also the issue of where he'd 'land' before walking to work. Flying through the air like that wouldn't go unnoticed either, especially not in a town like this one.
Jennifer stood still for a moment after the bus pulled off. Her grip on her bag tightened. Lowering her gaze for a moment, she began walking to the front door. Work… Her pulse quickened, and she swallowed hard. I like to work. She was relieved that she was able to even return. Still… I don't like this…
She'd told Peter that she felt vulnerable and exposed… Jennifer knew she wasn't able to 'fully' protect herself as she had before. The reason was one she hadn't shared with Peter just yet. She wasn't sure what he would say.
Each step seemed to feel heavier than the next. Am I too late to just go back home? She really didn't want to have to deal with what awaited her at work. The judging, the stares… She knew that as soon as her coworkers got wind of what was happening, they would be relentless with her.
Why do I feel like this? While she'd felt uncomfortable at work before, there was more at stake now. It should be fine. I've gotten along with my boss the entire time I've been here. Knowledge of the paperwork she carried made her pause. It will be fine. She felt herself unconsciously swallowing hard again.
I have to keep calm. That's what Peter said, right? He was so sweet and very invested in keeping her and the baby soothed.
And speaking of the baby… It hadn't escaped her notice that she could feel the material of her pants as she walked. Peter had used a hair tie through the loop of her jeans to pull them closed. While it was a nice trick, it was also why she didn't have her shirt tucked in.
She was wearing an apron though, so it shouldn't have been a problem. Save the fact that she couldn't have only half of her shirt tucked in behind. It would look sloppy. Am I really thinking about this? Jennifer was suddenly aware of far too much regarding her appearance for the first time back at work.
Becca met her at the door and gave her a big hug. "Hey." Jen offered a lazy smile.
"Welcome back Jess!" The brunette replied. "You're a bit early though, aren't you?" As if to confirm, she checked both the clock on the wall and her watch.
Rolling her eyes, Jennifer snorted a little. "Sort of." She lowered her voice. "He wanted to make sure I made it to work in one piece." She intentionally didn't say the name that Peter was 'in cover' under. It was already enough for Becca to remember to call her 'Jessica', let alone having Peter and his alternative name as well. "And once I got off the bus, I told him to get to work."
Becca's stare turned curious.
"He wanted to come in here too, Becca. Considering what happened last time -" At this, Jen's cheeks reddened slightly. "I figured it might not be the best idea."
"Sure, sure." Becca bobbed her head a little. "True. The circumstances are a little different now though, don't you think?" It sounded sweet that he had wanted to come.
"Umm…" Jennifer nodded lightly. She directed her gaze towards the back where no doubt her boss was waiting. He was usually there before everyone came in and was the last to leave in the evening. Considering the alternative, Jennifer really had found a kind and considerate boss. "I guess…" Her cheeks drained of color just a little.
"Guess?" Becca echoed in question. What's going on with you today? She also noticed how her friend had paled slightly. "You okay?"
Silently, Jennifer nodded. "I shouldn't be too long, Becca." After her clipped words, she headed towards the back and to the manager's office. Why do things always have to be so complicated? She tried to keep her steps even but she was beginning to feel choked from nerves.
Elsewhere
The exchange between both buses had been very close. Thankfully, Peter managed to clamber on quickly enough. No way was he going
to be late for work today.
While seated, his fingers drummed on his knees over and over again. He felt strange, on edge almost. His 'spidey-sense' hadn't activated at all, so there was no immediate threat to his safety. Unfortunately, he was feeling the normal rush in response to a perceived threat.
Running his tongue along his lips to moisten them, Peter stared at his reflection in the window again. What is wrong with me today?
He was just as jittery as Jen was. He wanted to get to work and finish out early again. He was still worried that something might happen to her. She was cleared to return to work, which should have been fine… but her voiced concerns took up far too much space in his mind.
Peter couldn't not think about it. Even though he assured Jen that she'd fine, he really lacked the ability to know if his words held any weight.
Lightly flexing his fingers, he looked down at his palms. Unconsciously, his middle fingers were stretching out for the web shooters. Inhaling deeply, he unclenched his fingers and leaned back in his seat. It'll be fine. Now, if only he believed that.
Seeing his stop coming, Peter signaled for the bus to stop and hopped out. As usual, he was one of the only people at their current job site. Not that it bothered him at all.
Today's job didn't seem too difficult. They had to clean up the windows and apply a fresh coat of paint to the front and back walls. The task was more of a two-man job, but to be done on time to meet Jen, Peter had to get the windows taken care of first.
Thankfully, they used a rope pulley to get up to the windows. Can't use abilities. Can't… He itched badly to just climb up the window with the soap and squeegee in his hands. It was perfectly safe - for him.
"Have to follow the rules…" he muttered. He would have to wait for the truck with the cleaning solution to show up. And the paint wasn't there yet either. Puffing his cheeks out a little, he tried hard to not voice displeasure at having to wait for everyone to arrive.
If they left everything there, it would be simple. Then again… If all that equipment was left out here, it would be stolen.
Irritably, he checked his watch. Twenty minutes to go… He could have gotten off that other bus earlier. Grinding his teeth together, he continued to wait.
Applebee's - 9:45AM
The morning rush never seemed to stop. So far, Jen's first day back was proving more difficult than it should have been. She was able to rest for a few minutes purely due to Becca being there with her. Her friend worked overtime to handle her tables when she voiced being overwhelmed.
As usual, they were understaffed. For a job as vigorous as her own, she really should have taken time to rest every hour. They were too busy for that though.
As it was, she was able to grab a short break after the two-hour mark.
The work was hard and demanding, especially when she was struggling to also keep up with her body's needs. She'd nearly lost control of her bladder twice and it wasn't ten yet.
Things were slowing down, thankfully. After locating one of the snacks Peter had packed, she plopped herself down into a seat in their communal break room. Almost immediately after taking a bite of the peanut butter crackers, she moaned in happiness.
Forgetting that she needed small snacks throughout the day, she'd exerted herself to the extent that she felt sick. Her head was beginning to ache too.
She'd begun to gag at the table she was taking an order from and clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes widening in alarm.
Out of nowhere, Becca appeared, apologized to the table and rushed Jen to the break room.
Jennifer unfortunately dry heaved into the sink a few times before she could control it. After she splashed water on her face, Becca patted her on the back sympathetically and hurried to 'pick up' where Jen left off.
Along with feeling sick now, the petite brunette was embarrassed. That shouldn't have happened. Doing stuff like that was how she ended up in the hospital the last time.
Thinking of her last scare, her left hand drifted down to rest on her belly. It was dreadful to wake up in the hospital and have no clue how she got there. "I'm sorry, Chip." she murmured softly, sniffling. Feeling a stinging sensation and pressure behind her eyes, she grimaced - suddenly past the edge of tears. "So sorry." Gazing at her left hand, she thought of the small person depending on her. "Mom's so stupid… and careless…" Her eyes began welling up.
Taking another bite, she barely suppressed a warble of delight. "Why does this taste so good?" she asked aloud to no one in particular. The crackers were no different than the usual fare she'd been eating at home. Considering how she was feeling at the time though…
"Okay! I'm back!" Becca announced after reentering the room, scurrying over to Jennifer and taking a seat next to her. "Whew!" Instead of saying more, the taller woman leaned back in the chair, tilted her chin upwards and closed her eyes.
The companionable silence that followed was nice.
It was broken a few minutes later as Jen opened her water bottle and took a few large swallows.
Becca shifted in her seat. A pair of green eyes with slight dark smudges under them turned towards Jen. "How are you feeling?" A moment later, her eyes widened, and she sat up straight. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" Jennifer looked so confused at the question. She wasn't even aware of the tears tracking down her cheeks. She recapped her water and placed it in one of her apron pockets.
"Er…" Becca blinked a few times - deciding after a moment to let the matter slide. "Anyway, are you feeling any better?"
A whisper of a smile crossed Jen's lips. "I feel less sick, yes. I -" Jennifer stopped speaking momentarily, a deep crease forming between her brows. She tilted her head to the side, bewilderment on her face.
Mouth working for a moment, Becca tried to gather her thoughts and cleared her throat. "Je-"
"No worries." Jen snorted then, amusement bubbling to the surface. "I'm fine. It's okay. I'm… just a little gassy." She punctuated her words with rolled eyes.
Becca's features scrunched up, but she didn't say anything.
Standing up slowly and yawning a little, Jen crumpled up the plastic and tossed it in the trash. "Time to get back." After a moment she added, "After a quick bathroom run."
"Sure." Becca got up and joined her. Elsewhere - 10:45AM
"Geeze, would you look at this guy?"
Peter easily understood what one of his coworkers was saying, but he didn't care. As soon as the trucks had rolled up that morning, he'd launched himself into work. Cleaning debris from the windows took longer than he wished. To compound his frustrations, he had to wait for the slow progress of the rope pulley raising them up to each window.
He was determined though and had found himself bouncing to run the squeegee up and down the window.
Definitely not safe.
"Hey there, Hammer!" Peter heard another one of his coworkers call to him from the ground. "Chill out!"
Peter hadn't spared the other man a glance. He'd been mostly quiet the entire time he was working. Once the dirt and loose paint was removed from the windows, he'd moved so fast to get the paint prepared that he nearly spilled it.
Instead of taking the time to berate himself for bad decisions, he plowed through. His breathing was heavy, with sweat running down his back and chest in rivulets. Jen… He sucked in a deep breath and stretched his long frame up a bit more to spread the paint with his roller. Jenny… He couldn't get her out of his mind.
Is she eating? Is she okay? He resented not having a phone. He could have easily sent her a text message to find out. Instead, he had to deal with the clinging silence on her end.
Hissing as his muscles began to ache, he paused momentarily to check his watch. "Uhh…" Unaware, he was now running close against the clock. "Boss?" Peter looked down from the pulley. Once he got the older man's attention, he spoke up quickly. "Is it okay for me to head out for lunch now?"
Peter almost leapt to the ground when he saw his boss' lips form the word 'Yes.' Barely able to restrain himself, he quickly lowered the
platform back down to the ground. "Going somewhere?"
Glancing up, Peter grinned at seeing his friend Harold "Yeah. I have to go meet J-Umm… I have to go out for lunch." All the while Peter was speaking, he was quickly gathering his things. If he hurried, he might be able to catch the right bus.
The older man's left brow twitched just a little. "Need a ride?" Pausing, Peter lifted his head. "Uhh… sure."
Applebee's - 11:05AM
Sighing faintly, Jennifer lightly gripped the sink in the bathroom with soapy hands. She felt… exhausted. Her work day wasn't over yet. Maybe I've been laying around too much. After all, she'd had several days off work and during most of them she was either sleeping or eating.
At least she didn't feel ill this time. She'd grabbed one of the cereal bars in her bag and munched on it between customers. The table she'd abandoned earlier was understanding once she explained her situation to them. They didn't leave much at all in terms of tips, but at least she wasn't screamed at.
Humming faintly, she finished washing her hands and grabbed a paper towel to dry them off. She was walking toward the exit when the door opened. Becca stepped in, along with her other coworker. "Hey…" Jen said, waving.
Becca offered a half grin and waved back while Laura let her gaze linger a bit too long on Jennifer.
"Jessica…" Laura stated plainly after a moment. Her eyes continued to linger.
Jen swallowed. She never knew what the blonde server was thinking, but her gut told her it wasn't good. Not knowing what else to say, she hurried out of the bathroom and back to her post.
Peter was late. She realized this when she saw the clock above the register near the front. 11:10AM.
Don't worry… She told herself. It was her first day back, and she knew he had a big painting job. Maybe he'd been delayed with it? Taking a moment, Jennifer looked over to her table. It was time for her to clear the tables so they would be ready for the next customer. After handing the diners their bill, she'd speedily taken a bathroom break.
Swallowing down more water, she placed the bottle back in her apron pocket and headed over to the table. Jen, who normally wasn't so self-conscious, had felt terrible over not having at least her shirt tucked in. She'd taken the time to adjust the hair tie and tucked her shirt in properly.
Jen ended up feeling annoyed - she knew that more than a few eyes were looking after she walked past. It didn't help matters that her jeans were so fitted that they clung to her new curves. If I get any bigger, I'm going to split these… I need new pants. Accepting her new reality was worse than becoming aware of it.
She wanted to scream. The last thing the petite woman needed was to split her jeans down the center, and she could feel the material straining over her backside.
Jen offered a smile to the patrons sitting at the table. She was uncomfortable and felt terrible, but refused to show it. "I'll be right back with your card." Picking up their bill and the card, she headed up to the front register. I wonder if I should just pack lunch tomorrow? Should I ask Pete to get us some of those subs again? Her mouth watered at the thought. Even when busy, Jennifer couldn't quite get food off her mind.
Continually pinned halfway between gnawing hunger and acute bouts of nausea, the young woman had a love/hate relationship with her meals.
After completing payment and picking up the receipt for the customer, Jen again returned to the table. "Have a great evening!" Her grin was wide, but not too much.
Her customers exchanged smiles as well and left while she went to clear an adjacent table. Upon clearing their table, she found a brief note held down by one of the sweating water glasses. As she opened it, she was unaware of the person walking up behind her.
At first, her eyes narrowed as she read, but soon - She grew pale and shook her head. Standing there quietly and fighting back tears, she nearly shrieked at feeling a large hand come down on her shoulder.
"What's that?" Peter asked, reading the note before Jen could stop him.
It read:
Thank you so much for the great night and your beautiful smile! We just have one teeny problem.
It wasn't with the food at all, but the service. You certainly could have been faster. You know you could have been.
No one is ever that happy. We know that smile was fake.
You really don't want to be here, so why don't you just leave and never come back again?
Here's your tip! You certainly deserve it!"
Inside the note, they'd left her a penny that was sliced in half and taped to the paper.
Peter immediately saw red and felt heat suffuse his features, anger quickly building. Who had…? He was struggling to form coherent thoughts.
Forgetting herself for a moment, Jennifer folded up the note and slipped it into her apron. "Don't… Don't worry about it, Pete… It's…" She faltered a little. "It's fine." Gazing up into his incredulous face, she tried to offer a half smile - failing miserably. "Yes… absolutely fine."
Unaware of what was happening, Becca popped out from the back and approached the couple. "Hey there, Edgar!" She offered a bright smile and waved. Her enthusiasm sank just a little on seeing their faces. "What's… what's wrong?"
Soundlessly, Peter pulled the note out of Jen's apron and handed it to Becca. "I think… we need to go out for Jen's break…" he murmured under his breath.
Becca's features became unreadable as she read the note. Once she reached the end, she ground her teeth together. "Sure, I have a suggestion." Without saying anything else, the brunette made a beeline to the manager's office. She emerged a few minutes later, seeing Peter hugging Jennifer fiercely, seemingly unconcerned about the stares of curious patrons.
Even from where she was standing, she could tell that Jennifer was crying. Her shoulders sagged a little as she rejoined them. "I spoke to the boss. He'll let me and Jess take our breaks together." She lightly bumped Jen with her hip. "He agreed to a thirty, even though Jess doesn't have a full shift today."
Six Minutes Later
Jennifer sat quietly stirring the contents of her chocolate milkshake, purchased shortly after they entered the building.
Becca had been silent ever since they'd selected a booth to sit in. What was she supposed to say exactly? She wasn't certain. What an utter mess! She thought with chagrin. There had been no need for them to be so nasty to Jennifer!
Wordlessly sinking back into the cushion of the booth, Jennifer sucked down some of the milkshake, resting the cup on her leg. Holding the drink made her hands feel so cold, but she didn't care much.
Peter had returned to the counter to order food for them.
The burger place they'd picked for lunch wasn't one of the bigger chains, but it was popular and the food was always good.
Setting the cup back on the table, Jennifer looked around aimlessly. Her right hand came back to rest on her belly, and she looked down. She worried that the baby was picking up on her negative mood. She'd worked so hard to school her features and do her best… and she was still shot down. Calm… I need to stay calm. She frowned faintly, intent on turning her attention elsewhere.
"Jen?"
Hearing such a hushed sound out of her normally boisterous friend, Jennifer lifted her head.
"I'll split my tips with you tonight." Off Jen's closed in expression, Becca scooted closer. "I don't mind. Really, I don't."
"But you earned your tips, Rebecca," Jennifer argued. "And I -"
"I'll finish it for you," Becca interrupted. "You earned far more than you got. So, I have no problem splitting with you." Squaring her shoulders, Becca lowered her voice. "I know you two need the money."
Jen's shoulders drooped, some of the stress of the day leaving her face. The strain she was under wasn't fair.
Scooting closer, Becca paused a moment. "May I?" She held one hand up.
Uncomprehending at first, Jennifer blinked a little and moved her own hand away from her middle. She nodded quietly.
Half grinning, Becca gently pat her friend's belly. "How's the kid?" she asked, trying to redirect her friend's focus. Without waiting for an answer, she directed a question to Jennifer's belly. "You being nice to your mama?"
Biting back a bark of laughter, Jennifer offered a relaxed smile. "Aside from feeling a bit ill… and very hungry, we've both been fine." Reading the question in Becca's eyes, Jennifer shrugged. "Can't
help it."
Any more immediate discussion between them was interrupted by Peter holding their trays.
Becca couldn't help but notice that he was sharing with Jen. Interesting… However, she wasn't going to draw attention to that. She scooted back around the booth to her previous spot and noticed how Jennifer almost immediately leaned against Peter's shoulder. Huh… She unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite.
As if on auto-pilot, Peter switched to eating with his left hand, his right arm moving to wrap around Jen's shoulders. "Going to…" his voice dropped so low that Becca couldn't hear him. "… eat a bit?"
Jennifer lifted her eyes to his.
"I'm really sorry that happened to you, Jenny." he said in the same undertone. "It wasn't right at all."
Instead of showing irritation at his use of that nickname, Jen reached out and unwrapped her burger. It was absolutely huge, fresh and very greasy but made her mouth water so much that she visibly drooled before biting into it. She hummed her approval.
Peter had worried how her stomach would handle such fatty fare but she didn't seem to be having a problem.
"No…" Jennifer stated after clearing her mouthful. "It wasn't…" Without saying anything else, she took a massive bite out of the burger, juices running down the left side of her mouth.
Peter lightly hugged her to his side, his hand moving down to rest on her belly. Both of them seemed unable to keep their hands from gravitating there. He grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth off, earning himself a snort.
Jennifer rolled her eyes, but didn't resist him cleaning her up. She was also eating her fries with gusto.
It didn't occur to them what it looked like - Peter with his arm wrapped around her waist… in an almost possessive manner.
Munching on a fry, Becca felt her cheeks warming at the display. It was so cloyingly sweet that she worried she'd get cavities from being near them. Do they even know what they're doing? She watched as Peter went from eating his sandwich to trying grab the fries before Jen did.
They were both so playful with each other.
Scant minutes later, nose twitching, Jennifer stuffed the last bite of her very hastily eaten burger in her mouth before humming again in approval. All through their meal, she'd been making noises. Her nostrils flared a little, and she inhaled deeply. "Pete?" she mumbled in question, her voice echoing how relaxed and full she felt. "Hmm?" Eating at a more human speed, Peter was still working on half of his sandwich. He drank some root beer to wash it down with.
"You smell." Jen replied blithely.
Peter coughed suddenly in surprise and nearly choked, almost shooting soda out his nose. Clearing his throat and feeling the burn in his sinuses, he shot a look at Jen, noticing that she didn't seem repulsed. "S… Sorry. I came right over from work." He knew he was musky from dried sweat. He didn't have time to jump in the shower or clean off at all before meeting her.
Instead of responding right away, she snuggled closer to him, seemingly on the brink of sleep. "It's fine…" her words were punctuated with a deep half-yawn. "You smell like you." She reached out and snagged two of his fries. "I like it."
Bewildered, Peter looked at Becca.
All that the taller brunette could do was shrug.
"I'm so tired…" Jennifer muttered. It didn't help that the food was sitting heavily in her stomach.
Standing and leaning over the table, Becca lightly rubbed Jen's shoulder. "Uh-uh. Bad idea. We don't have long to get back. If you fall asleep now, Jess, you're going to feel terrible when you get up."
Peter seemed to be in agreement, gently easing Jennifer back into an upright position.
"Err… No fair." Irritably, she rubbed her eyes with her palms.
"Finish up your drink so we can head back." Peter had to suppress his laughter, seeing how Jenny was sneaking fries off his side to her own - only to stuff them in her mouth. How she was still able to eat anything was beyond him.
Jen gulped down the rest of her milkshake and rose to her feet slowly, feeling a bit restricted in her jeans. She licked her lips, blinking and trying to stave off another yawn. "I have to use the bathroom before we leave."
"I'll go with you." Becca volunteered.
And I'll finish what Jenny didn't eat! Peter almost rubbed his hands together in glee. Between the two of them, she had certainly consumed the lion's share of the food.
Eyeing the tray, Peter came to a realization. Jennifer had plowed through her fries and his . There weren't many left for him.
A short time later, both women returned from the bathroom, their cheeks rosy.
Both of Peter's brows rose in question, but he opted not to even ask. It was time for the three of them to get back to work.
1PM - Jen's Apartment
Keys jingled in the lock for a moment before the door swung open and Jen stepped inside. She was able to get off work exactly on time. The last half hour of her shift, it was obvious that she was running out of steam.
Securing the door behind her, she clambered over to the couch and sprawled out on it. Grimacing just a bit, Jennifer straightened up and untied her apron, pulling it off and flinging it away. Then, she undid the hair tie holding her jeans closed.
It had been so embarrassing to ask Becca to help her adjust the thing. Unfortunately, she'd eaten so much - and so fast that she didn't have a choice.
Sighing softly, Jen allowed herself to sink into the cushions after grabbing one of the pillows. I need to get up and take a shower. Yawning, she hugged the pillow to her chest. I don't want to get up… Instead of doing much else, she grabbed the remote and turned the television on. In actuality, that was a waste of time because she was asleep less than ten minutes later.
Outside
A man of middling height stood quietly observing the front door of the building. He was once again clad in that heavy brown trench coat,
the wide brimmed hat pulled low to obscure his face. He quietly chewed the gum in his mouth. Pulling a top bound notepad from his pocket, he withdrew a pen from his shirt pocket and began jotting down notes.
"So, I wasn't mistaken…" he muttered under his breath. Heavy brows furrowed over brown eyes, that were growing darker with emotion. Pulling a plain flip phone from his pocket, he quickly dialed a number. After a moment, the call was picked up.
Do you have any news?" The voice on the other end of the call sounded like it belonged to an older man. He sounded weary.
Finally smiling a little, the man moved to an area with more trees so as to obscure his presence. "Yes, in fact," he paused a moment to gather his thoughts. The search had taken some time, but he finally found his target. "Found her." There was a tense moment when at first, he thought the call had disconnected.
You… ! You have? Are you sure?" While fatigued before, the speaker seemed to find energy from this news.
"Definitely her." He checked his notebook, thumbing back a few pages. "I could never forget her face."
How are you going to make contact?"
After hearing the old man's words, he felt his mouth dry out just a little. That was a very good question… Just how would he announce himself to her? She knew who he was, but had no clue that he was here. He couldn't just walk up to her and say: 'Hey, remember me? I found you! All of us found you!'
That would be a terrible idea. Continuing to chew the gum, he forgot that he was on a call until the older man addressed him again.
Are you still there?"
Jerking just a little, he cleared his throat. "Yes. I'm still here. Don't worry."
I wish I had a suggestion for you. She was always more of a thinker than the rest of us."
His lips twitched at that. "Yes, she really is." His features darkened just a little. She's so plucky that she managed to cross state lines and avoid us until now. "I have to be careful, no matter what I decide." Reading a note on another page, he swallowed hard and braced himself. This small detail wouldn't do down quite as well.
Is there a problem?" Though older, the man on the line was as sharp as ever.
"Ah… I suppose you could say that." Looking over his shoulder, he moved completely behind one of the trees and peeked out the side. "She's not alone."
What? Who is it? Someone you know?" Now the older man sounded agitated.
"Actually… I'm not sure. I think he lives there. He's taller than her, has a beard, sort of scruffy looking." Almost like a hobo. Some random stranger…
Wha-at?" The older man was scrambling to gather his wits. "Do… Do you think it's a hostage situation?"
Pulling the phone from his ear, he stared at it oddly for a moment. "No… Not at all. I-"
Then why is a man with a scruffy beard living with her?!"
Uh-oh. It was just like he feared. The old man did not take kindly to finding out this latest tidbit. "Oh, ah… Umm… Well, you see…" He felt himself fumbling for words. From what he'd been able to observe by watching them, they were more than a little close. Very close. He had no definitive proof they lived together, just that they were in the same building.
What are you not telling me? Is it a man she knows?"
A casual observer with vision issues could see that she more than knew the man with her. Pulling his hat off and revealing a full head of brown hair, he let out a soft groan. How can I explain this without causing him to get on a plane?
Robert… Explain." A note of authority began to seep in.
"It's not that bad. I mean, I don't think it is. I mean - I don't know-"
Robert!" The older man barked, annoyed now. "Explain what you found out about Jen."
Blearily, Robert stared into the distance.
Please…" The older man's voice broke. "You know what I've been going through all these weeks. So long… It's been so very long since I've seen her!"
Feeling guilt prick at him, Robert plopped his hat back on his head. "To be honest…" And he was. "I'm not certain how she knows him. I just know that they live in the same building and leave it together."
Do they go back together?"
Robert lowered his eyes. The old man's trying to get to her first. "Not exactly, no." He'd noticed today that both of them wore their respective clothing for where they were going, but noted her returning alone. "She went to work today it seems."
Work?" The voice on the line sounded confused. "What she is doing out there?"
How to answer this question…? Robert had no clue who to refer this line of questioning to. It was strange to see her wearing an apron to begin with, but she looked so run down today… "She works in a restaurant, from what I could see… The logo belongs to Applebees."
Are you serious? With her credentials?!" Now the old man was truly upset.
Robert pulled the phone from his ear for a moment, grimacing.
Where did the man go?"
"Ah… That. Huh." He wasn't certain where the bearded man went, but something about him did stand out. "His clothes were all stained from paint."
So, he's a painter…" his voice trailed off a little. Lowering his head and running his fingers through gray hair, the older man lightly shook his head.
"Seems so." He wanted to know why . Why was Jennifer out here hanging around some unkempt man and working at an Applebee's?
I need you to tail her."
Brown eyes bulged at the older man's words. Is he serious? He pinched the bridge of his nose. The entire point of this being an undercover operation was that the target was not notified until necessary. "Come again?" Maybe he'd misheard it.
Follow her. See where she goes and what she's doing out there."
After a painfully quiet moment, Robert merely replied, "I'll do what I can." Simple, to the point. There were no promises behind his words.
The older man seemed to understand the underlying meaning as well. "I need to go and think… Keep me up to date."
Before Robert could say more, he heard a telltale click and the dial tone. Great. With a sigh, he flipped the phone closed and tucked it neatly into his pocket. At least he didn't mention getting on a plane. Now, though, he was given an unsound instruction. If Jen found out he was there, he doubted she would hesitate to go on the run again.
Just who are you running from? He wondered. Checking his watch, he decided to take a break for the time being and come back in a little to observe more.
3PM - Jen's Apartment
Stretching once he reached the doors, Peter idly scratched his stomach. On the way, he stopped to grab a snack for Jenny. He hadn't been joking when he suggested that they go out to get new clothes. Considering she was growing out of hers; it was inevitable that they had to shop.
Pausing for a moment, Peter looked around. Noting nothing out of the ordinary, he grunted and unlocked the door to let himself in. Strange… For a brief moment, he thought that someone was there. I'm probably more tired than I thought. He was on average running on less than six hours of sleep, sometimes four if he managed.
As he bounded up the stairs, he opened and closed the apartment door quietly. He smirked a little, seeing Jen half lying on the couch. I don't understand how she could find that position comfortable. After locking the door, he tilted his head trying to understand and walked over to her. Carefully lifting her legs so they were resting on the couch with the rest of her body, he noticed two things immediately. He knelt down next to her.
Firstly, Jenny had a death grip on one of the pillows. Secondly, her jeans were hanging open with her shirt riding up. Was she unable to change clothes after she got home? Looking around, Peter noticed Jen's apron hanging haphazardly off the coffee table. Wow! She must have been really exhausted . His eyes drifted to her exposed belly. I hope you're not running your mom ragged too much, Chip . Lightly patting the surface, he got up off the floor.
Dropping her 'treat' bag on the dining table, Peter quickly walked to Jen's room.
Emerging with clean clothes, he stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower. He was more than eager to wash the grime off his body. Some of the paint had gotten in his hair this time. Soaping his face up, he thought back to his appearance in the hazy glass of the bus window. Maybe I should take care of that today before I wake her up.
Clean face, no beard… a new start, right?
He was toweling his hair dry not long after and retrieved a device he knew how to use, but never thought he would. Now, donning clean boxers and socks, he returned to the bathroom. The straight edge razor was just as sharp as the day he purchased it. Locating a small can of women's shaving gel, he quickly squeezed some out and slicked up his beard. He kept adding more and rubbing it in, covering his face with creamy white foam.
Staring at his reflection in the mirror, he began to make smooth and efficient strokes with the razor.
"No! No no! Ohh! I'm going to explode!"
Peter only had a split second to register the harried voice before Jennifer burst into the bathroom.
"Sorry, Pete!" She yelled by way of apology before yanking down her pants and plopping down on the toilet. She was in such a rush that she didn't look directly at him. Her eyes rolled at the feeling of utter relief, a soft sigh issuing from her mouth.
Instead of responding, Peter allowed a smile to stretch across his mouth. Nothing needed to be said. It was her bathroom after all and considering her condition… frequent trips were expected. His focus at current was on his shave, which didn't look bad so far. He was a few months out of practice, but better late than never.
Pulling the skin of his neck taut as he worked the blade under his lip to his chin, he quickly revealed the pink and healthy skin underneath.
The silence - save the scraping sound from the blade - was welcome, but short-lived.
After flushing the toilet, Jen moved over to the sink to clean her hands. She was shocked to see what he was doing, but she quietly washed her hands and then put down the toilet seat lid, sitting on it and watching. It was more than a slight morbid fascination.
Peter was relieved that she didn't make a fuss about using her gel. Less than twenty minutes later, he was done and unfortunately only had rubbing alcohol to splash on his face. He grimaced slightly.
It didn't burn as badly as he feared it would. Not bad… he thought, looking at his face in a quarter profile. It's good to be back…
"Have to admit, Peter…" He glanced to her.
The angle gave her eyes a doe-like quality, offset by her hair in disarray and the slightly wrinkled work shirt she was still wearing. A half smile was forming. "It looks nice. Going to take me a while to get used to how you look." She was rewarded with a toothy grin in
return.
"Are you ready to go now?"
"Huh?" She was bewildered. "Go where?"
"Clothes shopping, Jen." Peter was more than aware of the side-eye he was subjected to. "We both need new clothes. We even talked about it earlier today."
"Yeah… True. We did." she did not sound enthusiastic. At. All. "I was worried I'd rip my pants today, so it's a good idea for us to go out."
"I also brought you back a snack so you can eat on the-" "Wh… What?" she interrupted. "Where?"
Chuckling at the swift turnabout when food was involved, Peter lightly pat Jen on the shoulder as he headed out of the bathroom. "Dining table. Got-" He paused, seeing Jen's hasty exit. "Got you some honey cashews…" He finished.
Outside
Twenty minutes later, both of them were exiting the apartment. Jen swapped out her uncomfortable jeans for her sweatpants and changed her shirt. Peter managed to find some jeans that didn't have paint on them yet and donned a casual t-shirt. As they left the building, they were unaware of anyone watching them.
Did he shave? Robert blinked and rubbed his eyes. No doubt about it - the vagabond had shaved his face! Why does he look so familiar? He saw how Jennifer said something to the man and he laughed, leading her to the sidewalk. What are you two doing now? Robert wondered, his eyes narrowing. If he wasn't on assignment, he would just leave them be. Unfortunately…
Grumbling under his breath, he put his earpieces in place and began casually following them, struggling pay attention to what he heard with the amplifiers in his ears.
"I just wanted to say that I don't like this." Jennifer spoke softly as she walked alongside Peter.
He merely grunted and lightly ruffled her hair. The indignant squawk he expected came swiftly.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Irritably, Jennifer stopped walking and reached up, trying to tidy her ponytail. "Took me too long to fix this up!" She was almost grinding her teeth.
Redirecting the conversation of course. Letting out a short laugh, Peter moved her hands away. "Maybe you should let it down if it's causing so many problems?"
Blinking a bit, Jennifer felt her heart pounding harder in reaction to being so close to him. Peter, why do you have to do this to me? She wanted to pull her hair out. You're driving me insane! He was so nice and considerate. Freshly showered, he smelled wonderful. For some reason, she was able to pick up the distinct scent of him underneath any scented bodywash he used. To top it off, he'd shaved off his beard… They look the same. This isn't fair! Feeling heat suffusing her face, she knew she was red… almost to an unhealthy degree.
"Ah… Jenny?" Moving his hands again, he placed them on Jennifer's shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"… Huh?"
Concern growing, Peter ducked down to look at Jennifer closer. "Are you okay, Jen?"
Even though she could easily see that his mouth was moving, the words eluded her over the increased drumming in her ears. Now her entire body was responding to him. The pulsing sensation she felt in her lips made them twitch, and she looked away from his face. This is dangerous… Even her breathing was picking up. No. She told herself. Stop it! Please!
"Where's your phone?" Completely unaware, the taller man guided Jen over to a bench to sit down. He carefully checked her pockets and located her cellphone.
Understanding filtered in, and she reached out, putting her hand over the phone. "No…" Did my voice just… "No need. Please don't call anyone," she begged, her voice huskier than normal. When she managed to look at him, she was startled to see how dilated his eyes were. "I'm… um…"
"You scared me." Exhaling a breath he didn't know he was holding, Peter reached out and pulled Jen into a tight hug. "Please, try to not do that again."
"I…" Jen's voice sounded strained. "I promise." She looked down. "I'm sorry."
Pulling back, Peter nodded faintly and stood up, offering a hand to help her. "Come on. We need to get clothes for you and Chip!"
Fanning her face in a bid to cool herself down, Jennifer arched a brow as she stood up. "Chip's not even born yet, Pete."
"Best to be prepared anyway. At least with a few things for her." Wrapping his right arm around her shoulders, he laughed out loud at her playful poke in his ribs.
They resumed walking to the bus stop.
"… You think the baby's a girl?" She didn't expect that. "Don't men normally hope for a son?"
Peter snorted softly. "Ultimately, I just want Chip and her mama to be very healthy." He hugged her a little. "Though I would really love her to be a little girl." His smile was wistful, but his eyes were so sad. Fortunately, Jennifer wasn't looking up at him just then.
He'd thought of it off and on when he was with Mary Jane. With his lifestyle, he wondered if he would ever be able to have a semblance of a 'normal' life. Normal people have relationships with their friends and family. They'd been engaged, so them becoming a family was the next step… wasn't it? But he was also Spider-Man, and he knew the law of averages… either his family would be kidnapped, killed or he would. He didn't want MJ to have to go through that.
Crime doesn't take a vacation… He thought with a frown. Here, things were different. There were no high-powered villains chasing after him, trying to kill him. Maybe he could eke out a living here and eventually get them a better place to live in. The baby would be born and grow up feeling safe and secure.
Unbidden, Peter's mind began to wander further into the future. Maybe one day, Chip could have a little brother or sister. Not only did he mentally freeze up at that thought, physically he did too. Vigorously shaking his head, he berated himself mentally when he saw Jen's concerned expression. Where did that come from?
"Now, I guess it's my turn to ask what's wrong with you?" Jennifer asked, but her features were creased with concern.
The only way Chip would have siblings would be if we… Peter made eye-contact with Jen then, feeling his ears warm up. How can I think like that? She's my friend! "Yeah…" he muttered without thinking. I can't think like that about her. She'd be - "Mortified." he spoke aloud, not realizing that he did so.
"What?" she asked.
Peter's gaze was certainly absent.
We're a mess. We're going to miss the bus at this rate! "Come on, webhead!" Moving from under his arm, Jen took hold of his shirt and pulled.
That snapped Peter out of it. "Hey! Are you trying to tear my shirt up?!"
Moving behind him, Jennifer pushed against his back. "No, but if we keep dawdling, we're going to miss our ride! And I really do need new clothes…" Her voice dropped an octave. "Before I really start bursting out of them." Inhaling slowly, she brought up something that had bothered her at work. "All day, I could feel people's eyes glued to my butt, and it didn't make me feel good at all."
They just managed to get to the stop as the bus rolled up.
"Well, it's not a bad rear end to look at, Jen." Peter replied, wiggling his brows before stepping onto the bus. When in doubt, returning to their normal banter would clear the air between them. To him, it was thick with unspoken tension…
"W… What?" Jen stood still, in shock that he'd said that to her.
"You pushed me up here. We can't be late. Come on!" Leaning out of the bus, Peter grabbed the front of her shirt and yanked her in there with him.
The petite brunette yelped in shock.
As the bus pulled off, Robert pulled his hat off and barely managed to find a bench to sit on. Mechanically, he pulled one of the earpieces out, but wasn't able to think clearly enough to grab the second.
He had expected some other reason, maybe that they were going to some rendezvous for something less than legal. It was a stretch, considering how Jennifer was… but so was her disappearing out of the blue and telling no one. He never expected this.
"She's…" He stared at the cracked sidewalk; his eyes wide. Baby. They were talking about a baby. Was it their baby? "Wait a minute…" Putting his head in his hands, Robert carefully thought back over their conversation. "What did they say?"
He was so full of indiscernible emotions that he couldn't think. "I should have been recording." He had no way of knowing that he would have found something like this out. The plan was to record once he figured out where they were going. Leaning back on the bench, Robert stared at the sky, watching a few puffy clouds slowly going past.
"This is not good…" Just then, his phone began ringing. His eyes rolled back faintly. No! Don't tell me the old man's calling me again! To his dismay, he saw the number on his caller ID. Picking up, he spoke quietly. "Hello…?"
Sorry, I just needed time today to calm down. Have they met up again?"
Without preamble, Robert spoke. "She's pregnant." Even speaking the words aloud made him flinch. This wasn't the way they should have found out. There should have been an announcement, a party maybe… or excited phone calls. Why would she… wait, how far along -
I'm sorry." the older man's voice tore through Robert's train of thought. "Did you just say pregnant?" he sounded lost. "Are you sure?"
Swallowing hard, Robert replied. "Very. They were talking about getting clothes for her." He also remembered Jennifer asking the man 'Don't men normally want a son?' Whoever this man was, he seemed happy at the idea of a daughter.
Her?" The older man's voice softened. On the end of the line, he hesitated a moment, absorbing what this all meant. I'm going to be a grandfather!
"Y… Yes." Even though he was hurt to have been excluded, he couldn't hold back a smile at the thought of Jennifer having a little girl.
Son…" The shift in his voice caught Robert's attention. "I'll be on a plane this weekend. Send me the location. Make sure that you aren't found until I get there."
Robert was not surprised. "No problem, Uncle. I've always been good at hiding out."
I know you have been. Take care of yourself, Bruce." Then, the call ended.
"Sure thing…" Turning his gaze toward the bus stop, Robert stood up and put his hat back on. "See you soon, Jenny." Turning away, he headed in a different direction. The entire trek, he couldn't hold back a broad smile. They were finally going to bring her home… with a little very unexpected guest.
Then again… his thoughts darkened for a moment. There is an issue of dealing with the father. What if he protested her leaving? Robert grit his teeth, his expression an ugly one. That won't be a problem. Not at all.
Not for Bruce Banner and certainly not for the Hulk. If his family was at risk, he'd do all he could to save them.
Even at the cost of his life.
He wondered if that man felt the same. Friday - 5PM
Yawning just a little, Jennifer washed her hands in the bathroom and headed back out to her post. She was getting better at multi-tasking, having to grab her food on the fly. The wrapper from her granola bar was in the can as soon as she got into the bathroom.
Unlike her first day back, the remaining ones hadn't been nearly as jarring. Setting up a new routine meant that she was performing better than before her trip to the hospital.
Shopping with Peter wasn't as stressful as she'd worried. She picked up several pairs of maternity jeans and even a few things for Chip. She'd been very embarrassed when they were in the underwear section. Peter looked completely out of his element. Still, she'd picked up a few things from there as well.
Peter bought himself some brand new, unstained jeans and clean sneakers. He'd also picked up a set of clippers and additional shaving supplies. Last night, he asked Jennifer to cut his hair. It was a uniquely intimate act, something neither of them were unaware of, but she did so without a whisper of complaint.
She knew that at work, not only did Peter have a freshly shaved face, which he touched up every two days… but he also had a nice haircut, similar to what he had in his universe. Jen took pride in good work, no matter who it was or what they did… and she admired him for working so hard for both of them. He'd brought her an envelope of cash two days ago - asking her to deposit it. She'd had to put it in her account.
There has to be a way for him to reassume his identity here. That way, his paychecks could go into his own account. Doing it would involve her pulling in some big favors though. Was she ready to return to that position? At this point in her life?
Once spotting her customers, she headed over to their table, smiling. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"
Both of them shook their heads.
"Would like the check though." the older man stated.
"And a To-Go box," the young woman added. "Dad here bit off a little more than he can chew." An impish smile sneaked onto her face.
At her words, the older man made a face, but he didn't disagree.
Nodding lightly, Jennifer turned a kind smile to the older man. "It's okay. I can understand. I've had to do that myself a few times." Oddly enough, it was true. Her appetite had been steadily increasing over time, but there were days when she would mess up when she ordered. "I'll be right back with your bill and the box."
"Understood. Thank you, miss!"
Saying nothing more, Jennifer turned around and headed to the front to collect their bill. On the way back, she picked up one of their larger 'To-Go' boxes. As she walked, she turned over a previous conversation in her mind. She'd asked Peter to cook with her the previous week. He did mention something about working together in the kitchen tonight.
I wonder what we'll make. Jen hoped for more of those brownies he fixed for her. They were so decadent and dense. Mmm! I need to make sure I don't drool on myself. Fortunately, she'd already had a snack, so hunger wasn't overriding her senses.
After returning to the table, she set down their bill and the 'To-Go' box. Waiting for a moment, they soon handed the card and bill to her. She didn't even bother to read what the receipt said. Even though she lived on tips, she was trying hard not to obsess over them. Beside that, her customers had been pretty nice to her the rest of the week. Payment received, she returned the customer's card to them, along with their receipt. "Have a wonderful evening." She grinned and went to clean up the next table.
It had been busy as usual, but she could handle that. Time flew faster that way. She checked her watch. In a half hour, Peter would be there to accompany her home. He was so protective of her. She felt warm and fuzzy inside knowing this, which wasn't unwanted at all. She'd told herself earlier that she would put some distance between them, to be on the safe side.
They still shared the same bed, but he hadn't voiced being uncomfortable with that arrangement. Although… we need to get a new bed for him. Or a bigger apartment. That was an option too. She had signed a lease as a single person; however, Peter was in her life now. Chip would have been anyway, but she and the baby could have shared.
That man… he has me thinking all sorts of things sometime. Like… no more living in fear, no more frustration and no more loneliness. Maybe life here wouldn't be all that bad, right? Moving to the table that her customers had just abandoned, she found to her surprise… a note. This one was held down by the handle of a fork.
She was a bit shaky. The last note had left a sour taste in her mouth. Let's get this over with. She unfolded it.
It read:
Miss, thank you so much for your service and caring manner. Dad told me that you had a glow about you.
I don't know what he means by that, but we wanted to extend thanks for your kindness. Have a good day!'
Inside was a fifty-dollar bill.
Jennifer froze. Their bill had only been forty. What…? Shaking her head, a soft smile in place, she tucked both the note and bill into her apron. Unable to shake the smile at their generosity, she resumed clearing the table of plates and cups. Unlike most of her customers, these had actually stacked their dirty plates on top of each other along with their forks. It even looked like they had wiped the table too.
Even so, it was still her job to clean up and she was in the middle of it when she heard her name… from an unexpected direction.
"Jessica?"
Pausing, she straightened up. It was her employer. Odd. He never came to talk to her during her shift like this. He would usually send someone else. "Hello Mr. Randall." she still had the smile in place while she spoke.
The older man seemed uncomfortable, and didn't say anything at first.
"Sir?"
Without warning, her coworker Laura appeared - seemingly out of nowhere. "Hey boss!" She grinned far too widely at him. Then, she slowly redirected her gaze at Jen. "Miss Smith…" Her grin dropped completely.
A tendril of anxiety took hold. Why is Laura referring to me by my last name like this?
The blonde was once again staring unnervingly at Jennifer, making her feel defensive. She backed away from both of them. Her smile disappeared, replaced with an expression of unease. What's wrong? Her boss looked like he was pained.
"Though it's been a nice run with you… Jessica…"
He lingered on her name when he didn't need to. Wait a minute. What's happening?
"Miss Smith, this is your last day with us, though you'll still need to come next week to pick up your check since direct deposits are cut off after this weekend."
Jennifer paled, her eyes darting to Laura. The blonde was smiling again, but there was a chilly quality to it. I don't… understand. She felt roaring in her ears.
"… ou can of course keep your shirt. We don't reuse those at all… However, you cannot-"
Jennifer's expression reflected her inner turmoil. Her once shiny outlook had now become a bleak future. "S… Sir?"
"… even will be able to leave early today! Yes, Miss Smith?"
Breathing deeply, Jennifer lowered her eyes and steeled her resolve. "Sir, I have a question, if I may ask."
He seemed surprised. He had expected her to explode all over him. After all, it was what had been reported to him. That she had a short fuse and was hiding it behind being pregnant. His eyes shifted to Laura for a moment. Would she lie?
Lifting her eyes, Jennifer intentionally made eye contact with him. "Sir, I would like to know what the reason for my dismissal is." She was truly confused. "I've been to work every day this week and completed all of my shifts." She had been doing and feeling better than she had for a while. "I've been a faithful employee this entire time." She noticed how her boss darted another look at Laura.
Curious. Jennifer thought. Very curious. Moving over a step to regain his attention, she continued her line of questioning. "So, what is the exact purpose of my firing?" Inside, she was shaking, but experience had helped her hide it well.
This time, her boss refused to make eye contact. "We pride ourselves on giving our best to our customers here as you know Miss Smith. In all aspects, we are representatives of the company." He folded his arms. "That said, many of our customers are older and have a mindset for which kind of… behaviors… are acceptable."
Jennifer, did not miss how his eyes darted to her belly for a moment. You must be joking… She felt anger beginning to bubble under the surface.
"We're more of a traditional establishment here, you see." Then, he offered her a large smile. "We take reports of bad behaviors seriously."
Jennifer squinted. "What repo-"
"As I said, since you've been severed from your contract, you are more than welcome to finish out your shift early and leave." His 'suggestion' did not sound like one at all. In fact, it sounded like an order.
Jennifer could see a smirk on Laura's face out the corner of her eye, but wouldn't give the woman the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Steeling her jaw, she responded "I… I see." Dropping the towel in her hands down on the table, she nodded resolutely. Pivoting, she headed to the employee area and gathered her things. Thankfully, all she had were her bag and jacket.
Becca sat up from where she was sprawled in a chair watching videos on her phone and waved. "Hey girl!" Her easy grin drained away when she saw what Jen was doing. "Wait, wait…" Getting up, she walked over to Jennifer. "Why are you grabbing your things like that? You'll still on another thir-"
"I was just fired." Even saying it, Jennifer's eyes flashed. She was positively seething now. She wanted so badly to be able to change into her stronger form. Brute force was never the answer, but she sorely missed having the option. She'd told Peter that she hated being so helpless. That was exactly how she felt now.
"What?! Why?" Becca gripped Jennifer's shoulders.
Instead of responding, Jen gently eased her friend's hands away. "I can't stay long." She hugged Becca quickly and made her way out. Right as she punched out, she heard Laura call out to her.
"Take care, Miss Smith."
Between the blonde's arrogant smirk and dismissive wave, Jennifer knew something was up between her coworker and boss. As she walked past her former employer, she paused a moment. "Sir…" She looked directly up at him. Her size never mattered before when she was in court of law.
And it certainly didn't matter now. She could still hold her own. "Mr. Randall, you are aware that under the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act - or the FMLA and PDA respectively - that it is prohibited in the United States for an employer to terminate an employee due to pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions… correct?"
She had gotten under his skin a bit; it was written all over his face. He jerked as if stung.
Bullseye. She thought.
"But that was not why you were terminated Miss Smith. I told you it was for your behavior." He folded his arms again.
Mirroring him, Jennifer offered a very insincere smile. "Honestly sir… the truth will win out in the end." Allowing her gaze to shift to Laura, she nodded to them both. "It always does. Have a good day!" With that said, she turned and stepped out of the building. She was
careful not to even slam the door. They could lie against and belittle her, but she wouldn't give up her dignity.
Directly outside the Applebee's was a bench. Sitting down and rubbing a soothing hand over her belly, she pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and began to dial. If I've ever been grateful to Peter of late, it is for the suggestion that we get him a phone.
The call was quickly answered. "Hey Jenny! Looking forward to dinner tonight, huh?"
Cutting to the chase, Jennifer replied. "I was just fired today." The sudden silence on the other end was more jarring than her
confrontation inside the restaurant. "Uhm… Pete?" "Are you serious? For what reason?"
"When you get off and get here, I'll tell you." "Jen… what aren't you telling me?"
"Chip and I will be waiting here for you. Bye, Pete!" Quickly, she hung up the call before he could ask any more questions. Now that she was physically removed from the situation, she could think a bit more clearly. She knew that something was done… be it by literal fabrication or simply word of mouth.
Had he just been looking for a reason to fire her? Both of her hands rested on her belly, her shoulders sagging. She never expected to see a taxicab pull up to her less than ten minutes later.
The passenger side flew open, and Peter flung himself out the door. "Jen!" He yelled, not caring about hiding or aliases. "What happened?" He rushed over to her, kneeling in front of her. "Tell me." He rested both hands right above her knees, feeling how tense the muscles in her thighs were.
Her features looked closed in, and a bit guarded.
"Please, Jenny." He felt it when she did relax… at least physically. "It's…" She felt tears prick at her eyes.
"Jen?"
Jennifer couldn't close herself off to this man. It wasn't possible, not anymore. "It's because of Chip."
He looked perplexed. "What did the baby have to-"
"I was fired because I'm carrying her."
Peter rose to his feet and neatly pulled her up from her seat. "Are you serious?" He turned a wild-eyed gaze to the front windows of the building.
Inside, a blonde woman was there - her face pressed to the glass. It was as if she was watching something forbidden and exciting at the same time. She offered a wide and predatory grin when she saw him, and that succeeded in making him discomfit.
In response, Peter offered her a stony expression and returned her suddenly intense stare until she pulled away from the glass and backed off. Strange… Very strange.
"I'm sorry, Pete," Jennifer's voice jarred him back to reality. She sounded like she was close to tears.
The sound nearly broke Peter's heart. "No. Shh. Come on, Jenny. We're going home." Ducking down a little, he lifted her up into his arms, both hands holding her securely in place.
Startled, Jen wrapped her arms around his neck. "Peter! What are you doing?"
"Shh," he replied, trying to quiet her. "We're going home." He walked back to the cab and gently eased her into the back. After making sure she was secured in her seat, he closed the front passenger door and hurried around to sit next to her in the back.
"Meter's still running, pal," the cabbie reminded him.
In response, Peter held up a twenty-dollar bill. "I'll give you the address. We'd prefer the scenic route." He looked at Jen, offering her a smile and placed a protective hand on her belly.
She couldn't help but smile in return, though her eyes were teary still.
The cab driver didn't need to be told twice and pulled off.
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Hey there! Thank you so much for being so patient with me. I'm not going to get into the specifics of what's been going on over on this end, but I am still alive and still very much invested in this story!
I'm eager to see how this story progresses! (I can admit that I'm my number one fan, because I always want to know what happens next and have to wait on myself. Boo!)
I hope this chapter is one you like. I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. This fiction is going in I think a better direction, as I'm making sure to keep your suggestions in mind. I still have it planned out in advance, but I'm making understandable tweaks here and there.
See you around for the next installment!
~J. Lyst
Author's Note Addition: So tired… It is still December 10, 2023. This current revision removed some words, corrected-or at least attempted to correct-some problems, and fixed way too many POV issues.
Whew! Onwards… to a break! I'll be decompressing for a good half hour or so before I pick this story up again.